


Kuma

by Lipstickcat



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 08:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lipstickcat/pseuds/Lipstickcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young Theon wants to go out riding with Robb but he doesn't have a horse. Young Robb knows how to fix the problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kuma

**Author's Note:**

> Old fanfic I wrote about a year ago. Mostly set in TV series cannon.

From the moment that the Stark children were able to hold themselves upright on their own they began to take riding lessons. Upon their twelfth birthday they would receive their first horse; the animal that would see them through their first years riding out of the castle walls to hunt, to take in the beauty of the surrounding land, to visit other cities and their Lords and Ladies. 

They would be a companion and a responsibly, a familiar friend to see them into adulthood, and, but for colic and misfortune in battle, one that would age with them into later years.

Theon had a few riding lessons on the Iron Islands, but most of his young learnings were focused on knot tying, on navigating by the stars, and on warcraft skills. He already excelled at the bow when his father gave him away to Lord Eddard, but his riding fell far behind the rest of the household that he joined. 

He didn’t expect to receive a horse when he turned twelve. He knew that he wasn’t a Stark. 

It still stung, though, when Robb was given his; a handsome dappled mare, and he immediately wanted to ride out of the castle gates and explore. No one was willing to lend the Greyjoy boy their horse, not without an instructor along for the ride. 

Robb smiled at him, shook his head. He knew where he could find something suitable for his “brother” to ride. Theon knew straight away that there was going to be a joke at his expense here, but he had no choice but to take the reigns of Windsong, and give her neck a firm, friendly pat as he waited in the stables for the oldest Stark to reappear. 

It only took a friendly smile and some coins that he’d stolen from his mother to get what Robb wanted. The look on Theon’s face when he came back leading a grey donkey was worth any fights they would have over the joke after. 

But, even though Theon was humiliated and squirmed in discomfort at the laughter from the on-looking stable hands, he allowed the donkey to be saddled and followed at a pace as Robb rode out, so much higher up than himself. 

The donkey was called Kuma, but secretly, Theon called him Ned. He continued to look after him and ride him when Robb wanted to take Windsong out, until the day it was decided that his riding skills were finally good enough to have his own horse. 

He still looked after Ned, even after. Robb had bought him for him, and he was the first thing that was truly his.


End file.
